February 14, 2011

Friends,

It's amazing to see the tender mercies of the Lord being out here in the field. Sometimes it still feels surreal, like it's not really happening. The work is hard, but having the Lord on our side definitely lightens the load!

I am so grateful to be here and have already seen many miracles! We have been working with the Solis family, and we have kind of been having a hard time making the step towards baptism, but I think we are getting ever closer to that. On Saturday night, we had a lesson with them and rather than spending the whole time talking about baptism, we talked a little bit about the priesthood, for Alex Ricky and Mark. We talked about the bond that we have as members of the church, but I think the best part of the lesson was talking with them about temples! We shared with them the importance of temples, and how through the temple we can be with our family forever. I think it really touched them that they could be sealed to their family and in bearing my testimony to them the importance of the temple I really am grateful to my parents for being sealed so that I can see all my family for eternity. It just makes me so grateful for the restored gospel and all that we have as members of the church. Sometimes we take it for granted, but it really is important! I think that having them focus more on getting themselves to the temple helped make baptism seem like not too big of a leap. I am really hoping that Theresa Mark Ricky and Alex gain a testimony of these things for themselves so they can receive the blessings of having a temple here so close. They really are an awesome family and I think they are progressing a lot. It's awesome to see!

Anyway, I miss you all and love you!

Elder Riley Layton

It sounds like you've had yourself quite the eventful week! My address is
1410 south Goliad #1010
Rockwall, Texas 75087

You can send letters straight to me, but packages have to be sent to the mission office(thats the "montfort ste" address)
and the packages have to have my first and last name on them.. speaking of packages, I got my bike, but my sheets must be stuck in limbo somewhere. It's ok though, for now I'm ok with just sleeping on the mattress. LOL.

All is going great here… I am still kind of fighting with myself trying to lose myself and I'm having a hard time with that, but other than that its going great here! love you

Elder Layton